


Mind and Matter

by aylixgreen



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-03
Updated: 2020-06-03
Packaged: 2021-03-04 02:02:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,014
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24515836
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/aylixgreen/pseuds/aylixgreen
Summary: Ron gets an unexpected second chance at happiness.
Relationships: Theodore Nott/Ron Weasley
Kudos: 23
Collections: Pride 2020





	Mind and Matter

**Author's Note:**

> Rated T for some language.

Ron Weasley was having a shite day. He and Hermione had called it quits after two months. They had tried to date, because it seemed like everyone wanted them to end up together, but they just couldn’t seem to make it work. She was structure and schedules; he was disorganization and impulsive decisions. She liked everything just so, and he thrived in chaos. It was no one’s fault, really, they just weren’t compatible as more than friends. It didn’t stop him from feeling like a failure, though. Especially when Hermione shyly told him she had accepted a date with Blaise Zabini. They were still friends, and she wanted him to hear it from her rather than finding out from the Prophet. He appreciated the thought, but the fact that she was moving on while he felt like he was running in place stung. 

Adding to his shite day was the news that Harry and Ginny were officially engaged and expecting a baby. He wished them all the happiness in the world, and he couldn’t think of anyone he’d rather have for a brother-in-law, but he wanted what they had. He wanted someone to come home to, someone to let him rant about his day and tell him tomorrow would be better. Someone to cuddle with, to kiss and make love to. He wasn’t cut out for casual sex. He got emotionally invested in his partner; he couldn’t bring himself to go out looking for one night stands. He had his hands for that. 

What Ron wanted, and couldn’t seem to find, was someone to build a life with. It seemed like all of his friends were settling down. Dean and Seamus had moved in together after graduation and were still going strong; last he heard, they were even talking about adoption. Harry and Ginny were building their family. Bill and Fleur had Victoire and Dominique. Neville and Hannah were expecting their first child. Even Fred and George, perpetual pranksters that they were, were in committed relationships. And then there was Ron.

Oh, he supposed there were parts of his life that were fine. He was an Auror, and he loved his job. He didn’t hate his partner, either. In fact, he was pleasantly surprised with how well they worked together. Theo Nott’s decision to become an Auror had shocked most people. Even though he never took the Mark, it was a well-known fact that his father had been a Death Eater. It had been a very public drama when Theo signed up. Nott Sr. had shown up at the Ministry and tried to demand that Theo “quit this nonsense and come home where you belong” but Theo had stood his ground. Nott Sr. had ultimately lost the conflict; his heart had given out under multiple stunning spells from the responding Aurors. Theo’s only response had been a blithe “That’s what I grew up with. Can you really blame me for wanting to be a better person?” He had started training the following week and steadily rose through the ranks of trainees, surprising everyone with his work ethic and his compassion. 

Another surprising thing about his Auror partner was how open he was about his sexuality. An out-and-proud pansexual, he freely admitted to his various partners, and spoke fondly about most of his exes. He was still friendly with most of them, even. He said his goal was to enter every relationship with an open mind and an honest heart, and it seemed to have been effective. No one had anything negative to say about him as a romantic partner. 

If Ron was being particularly honest, he had to admit that Theo was the kind of person he’d like to be with. He was intelligent, compassionate, and hardworking, but he also had a sassy, snarky sense of humor that had Ron laughing most days. He was organized, but not obsessively so, and Ron had slowly become more organized by association. And he was bloody hot. 

It was this last fact that had Ron flustered. He had always known he was attracted to witches; finding another bloke attractive was new territory, and he wasn’t sure what to make of it. When Theo threw his head back in a laugh, Ron found himself admiring the line of his throat and wondering what his five-o’clock shadow would feel like against his fingers. He knew what his own felt like, for Merlin’s sake, how different could it be?

He sighed into his drink as he waited for Theo to come back from the loo. Another surprising thing was that somehow, he’d managed to become friends with the former Slytherin, and it was now commonplace for them to go for drinks after work. It had started, ironically, because the one ex Theo wasn’t on good terms with decided to show up at the Ministry and harass him. They broke up because she cheated on him, especially ironic because they had an open relationship, as long as they told the other person. Apparently, she decided that one rule was too hard, and Theo found out when he walked in on them. Theo seemed so genuinely crushed that Ron invited him out for drinks-and-bitching after work. They ended up closing down the bar, then went back to Ron’s because it was closest, and ended up spending the rest of the night talking. They’d been friends ever since.

The friends-and-partners thing was the part that had Ron in fits. If Theo was just a hot guy at a bar, Ron might be able to strike up a conversation and see where it led. But Theo had somehow become one of his closest friends, his work husband, and if he fucked it up, he’d honestly be devastated. So now he was pining after the sexy Auror and praying he could manage to either get over it or figure out how to convince Theo to take a chance on him.

Right on cue, Theo returned to their table, clapping a hand on Ron’s shoulder before flopping gracelessly into his seat, complaining about the unprecedented line for the men’s and stealing what was left of Ron’s drink with a casual, “You don’t mind, do you? Next round’s on me.”

Ron rolled his eyes, but noted with some surprise that Theo had actually rotated the glass so he was drinking from the same spot Ron’s mouth had just been on. It looked casual, but it had to be deliberate. Was Theo messing with him? Or did he really want his lips where Ron’s had been?

Theo waved a hand, and a new round of drinks appeared. Theo’s was some kind of neon pink thing with smoke pouring out of it that Ron had never even seen, let alone seen Theo drink. 

“What in Merlin’s name is THAT? It looks dangerous!” Ron chortled.

“It’s a Flaming Cupid’s Arrow. And it’s good. Vodka, blood orange liqueur, a few other things.” Theo waved his hand dismissively as he took a sip. “The pink color is from the raspberries. Here, try it.” He slid the pink menace across the table, subtly rotating it so Ron would have to drink from the same spot or turn the glass.

Ron raised his eyebrows, but tried the drink. He carefully lined his mouth up with the marks on the glass from Theo’s lips. He held eye contact with Theo as he sipped, taking note of the flush on his partner’s gorgeous cheekbones as he delicately licked a stray drop off the rim of the glass.

“Hmmmm, that’s not bad, actually. Kind of like raspberry lemonade with a bit of a kick,” he murmured. 

“Told you so!” Theo smirked. “You should know by now, I have impeccable taste. If I think it’s good, I’m ALWAYS right!”

Ron chuckled. “Well, it’s true that you’re right more than you’re wrong. Maybe I’ll let you pick my drinks more often. That’s definitely – if surprisingly – better than my firewhiskey…”

Theo snorted. “Of course it is. Firewhiskey is a stereotypically masculine drink. What nobody admits is that it’s an acquired taste, which not everyone acquires. Most people who drink firewhiskey hate it, but they think they SHOULD like it, so they keep drinking it even though they hate it. Me, I’d rather drink something I enjoy. Other people’s opinions of my drink choices are largely irrelevant. I drink what I like. Those who matter don’t mind, and those who mind don’t matter.*” 

Ron laughed. “I feel like that last part sums up your whole life’s philosophy… ‘Those who mind don’t matter and those who matter don’t mind.*’ You’re more than willing to buck tradition when it suits you, but you still manage to be respectful to everyone, and somehow everyone likes you, even though you literally give ZERO fucks about who likes you and who doesn’t. I’m kind of envious, honestly. I know Harry and Hermione will always be in my corner, and so will my family, but other than that, it seems like public opinion is so easily swayed, I get whiplash when I change my tea in the morning.”

Theo grimaced before responding. “You’re not wrong. You’re one third of the Golden Trio. Your actions will always be of interest to the masses, because the three of you have the respect of nearly everyone in the Wizarding World. Nobody cares that you weren’t even out of school. Nobody cares that you were children fighting a war. I understand how you feel, because there’s an entire generation of Slytherins who were written off because they had Death Eaters for parents, even if their families WEREN”T Death Eaters. The assumption is there, and only time and our actions will change that perception. Draco is one of my best friends; he never wanted the war, but he took the Mark to try to save his family. He’s permanently branded with an ideology he doesn’t support. He gets hate mail every day; he gets death threats from people who only see the Mark, not the scared kid trying to protect his family. I would never advocate for forgetting what happened, but I don’t think that children should be punished for the sins of their parents.”

Ron nodded. “Yeah, Malfoy is still kind of a prat, but he’s trying. He’s not evil, and it takes time to overcome a lifetime of ingrained prejudice. I’m not sure we’ll ever be friends, but I can see he’s trying.” 

Theo sighed. “I know. He’s a twat. Hell, he’ll probably ALWAYS be a twat. I’m his friend, and I think he’s a twat.”

Ron snickered. “Well, as long as you admit it. I don’t hate all Slytherins, you know. Hermione is dating Blaise, and they’re surprisingly sweet together. Pansy has mellowed since she started seeing Luna. And you’re surprisingly tolerable.”

Theo fixed him with a serious look. “And if I wanted to be more than tolerable?”

Ron gulped. The conversation had just taken an unexpected turn. “What do you mean?” he asked. 

“I don’t want to be ‘tolerable.' I want to be essential. I want to be the one person you look for at the end of the day. I want to hold you while you cry and kiss you breathless. I want to be the name on your lips when you come. I want to share your triumphs and your sorrows. I want forever, and I want it with you.”

“You are.” Ron mumbled.

"What?”

“You are essential. When I think of something that happened, you’re the one I want to share it with. I want in-jokes and your weird drinks that I somehow like. I want to come home and tell you about my day, even though you were there for most of it. I’ve spent weeks trying to come to terms with how I feel about you and wondering how to convince you to give me a chance. I didn’t think you’d be interested in me.” Theo’s eyes sparkled as he stood and pulled Ron from his seat. 

“Let’s get out of here. It sounds like we have a lot to talk about.”

**Author's Note:**

> The quote used in the story is attributed to Dr. Seuss: "Those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind." 
> 
> Also, there really is a drink called a Cupid's Pink Arrow, which really does have vodka, blood orange liqueur and raspberries, among other things. Credit to Cheyanne Holzworth and the No Spoon Necessary blog for the name and recipe.


End file.
